We are almost there. It is only days before we can get back into stadiums to watch this great sport live writes Rob Abrey.

With a maidens competition starting tonight over 400 metres we can see the final at the stadium next Friday if we so wish. With the whole meeting on Racing Post TV from 6.09pm there is a lot to look forward to. There are several greyhounds making their Romford race debuts in the maidens competition and as ever yours truly has endeavoured to find out more about three of them. I have also found out more about a maiden stayer while I was at it.

 

Hove trainer Jamie Kingsley is taking on the Romford Friday night 500 maidens competition over 400 metres with two of his charges. First up in heat one at 6.43pm is Cloheena Puma. The February ’19 whelp has had all of his twenty seven races at home track Hove winning eight, all in graded affairs. Tonight, the son of Droopys Jet and Bellers Sky races away from Sussex for the first time but has had a recent spin over C&D recently clocking a decent calculated time of 24.37. In that trial he showed good early and will need to utilise that again.

Jamie on him said: “Puma is a good dog on the bunny. If he trapped and hits the lead he is such a jealous dog on the bunny, he is hard to pass. In his trial he showed good early and handled the track first time up. To go from Hove to a tighter track and to do what he did we were well happy.

“We are happy with his draw in six although he has never raced from that trap before. He trialled well from there at Romford though. I think he could go well; I really do.”

The ‘bookies’ are generally 11/2 for him to take the spoils in his first race away from Hove.

 

Next up for ‘team Kingsley’ is March On Leo in heat two at 6.58pm. The August ’19 is having his first ever race on these shores. In Ireland the son of Droopys Sydney and Palatine Diva had just the one race at Limerick over 480 metres where he finished fifth. He has had one spin over C&D clocking a calculated time of 24.31 and beating his kennelmate by ¾ of a length. In that trial he showed nice early which bodes well going into tonight’s race. At Hove in a 285 metres trial he clocked 16.26 which shows the 400 metres trip may be ideal for him.

Jamie on him said: “We were happy enough with his trial at Romford but he did run off the bends a bit. We expect him to improve for that look though.

“He is not the best trapper at the moment but shows great pace to the bend. He did a nice sectional in his trial.

“We will keep him to 400 metres for the time being. 500 metres looks a bit far for him right now. In time he should get it. He has trap four and we are happy with that, it’s a good draw.

“In their trial both of them beat Ashgrove Lass by about seven lengths. She ran at Romford last week and finished third.”

Corals are top price 3/1 for him to win his very first race on these shores.

 

Prince Skywalker for Henlow trainer Kim Gooding goes in heat three at 7.18pm. The March ’19 whelp is back for his first race around the Essex circuit since last November. On that occasion the son of Skywalker Puma and Drumcrow Blossom came fifth after early trouble. Tonight, he is back to right the wrongs of that last race. He showed in a recent trial over C&D when clocking a calculated time of 24.40 all is well and will be expected to improve on that.

Kim on him said: “He has run at Romford before and had some time off afterwards with some niggles. He is completely sound now and are quite hopeful. He is just over two now and has matured a little but since then.

“400 metres looks ideal for him right now. He has early and will need to come out. He did a nice trial and are hoping he improves on it. He has trap six and that is where he wants to be, Traps five or six are good for him.”

Ladbrokes are top price 9/2 for him to make it second time lucky at Romford.

 

Yarmouth trainer Paul Burr knows what it takes to win at Romford and tonight tries his charge Racenight Lulu over six bends for the first time. The March ’19 whelp goes in a maiden stayers race over 575 metres at 7.36pm after only four races over 462 metres at home track Yarmouth. The daughter of Confident Rankin and Sizzling Daisy won one of those in A2 company last time out. She goes in tonight’s race in fine fettle and will be looking to shed her maiden stayers tag at the first time of asking.

Paul on her said: “I thought she finished her race very well on Monday. She should get 575 metres okay. In that race she ran against one of my Roxys pups [Roxys Kid] who gets 462 metres and she picked her up. On that run she looks like she will get it.

“She doesn’t have much early pace at Yarmouth but goes through the field nicely. She has trap three and that is perfect for her. She is a proper middle runner.

“All our dogs are running really well at the moment and fingers crossed for a good run from her on Friday.”

Ladbrokes and Corals are top price 7/1 to win at Romford and over six bends at the first time of asking.

 

Regular readers of this column may have had a nice little winner last week curtesy of Russian Blake. Trained by John Mullins who claimed he was “a bit of an aeroplane” was not wrong when he took the spoils by three lengths in a calculated time of 24.05. His SP was evens but those quick enough early on could have had a piece of the 13/8 on offer with Paddy Power.

It pays to follow this column.